June 02nd, 2016

INTO CONSTRUCTION WEEK...

Due to performing the show over the last two years we have got to know our puppets very well. Their strengths and weakness, how they move and also what can be improved. Tabletop puppetry ideally works with 3 puppeteers; one on THE feet, one on THE HIPS and ONE LEFT/RIGHT hand AND FINALLY one on head and RIGHT/LEFT hand. With just 2 of us in the show sometimes it's difficult to get the full range of movement as with 3 puppeteers. One of the most difficult elements in supporting the hips and shoulders wAS GROUNDING THE PUPPET AS Our puppets had rods out the back of their heads. Therefore we changed the puppets that had these to a mechanism which sits underneath the shoulders. This meant the head puppeteer could control SIMULTANEOUSLY THE HEAD AND the shoulders giving the puppet more stability all the way down it’s “spine”. We then added a trigger linked with piano wire rather than string to the head to ensure its stability due to most our puppets being thrown around during the show.